A bit boggy

 This morning first thing. Patrick and Jill took down a small wall in the courtyard which was sagging a bit so it will be a health and safety risk. It will get built fairly soon but first a small trench needs to be built as its very boggy. The post hole just kept filling up!

Bruce was on the roof re -harling the chimney and he coated and cleaned off the lichen from 3 of the pots. They look so much better. 2nd picture was with the lichen.

Michael spent the day sorting out pipes for the plumbing for the upstairs bathroom.

Patrick did a grand job this afternoon plasterboarding under the stairs but he got a bit carried away with the nail gun and made a hole. All patched now.

Afternoon tea

 Felt like summer today. A bit breezy but sunny and warm.

Last night we caught an amazing aurora. We waited at Melby and it stayed the same with just a green glow with the odd shimmer. It wasn't until we got nearly home that we saw an amazing show.

Today Jill had some time off, and went to check the cove below the house. Last October, 2 seal pups were born there so we hoped it would be the same again.

Delightfully there was one very new pup and its mother, as well as another very pregnant sow.

Cuteness overload. The cliffs below the house looked beautiful today It was good to see a long-tailed duck on the loch too.

Jim arrived mid morning and started to tape and fill some of the plasterboard upstairs. It feels like we are getting somewhere.

After lunch we drove to Aith for a craft fair and afternoon tea. It was excellent. They hold the teas often but it was the first time we had the opportunity to go.

Positively tropical.

 It's been a glorious day. Sunny and warm. It got to 25 degrees.

Last night's aurora was beautiful . We tried a few locations. Our favourite got bombed by another photographer who left his car headlights on all the time.

We have someone new coming to help in the house taping and filling the plasterboard and he is free straight away so we went to get materials. On the way we popped to Burrastow as the day before the Orcas were headed North, but no Joy. Its a beautiful spot though and found another old mill.

We are pleased our neighbour has put up the witch of Watsness this year. She is amazing and moves in the wind.

We got our bits and visited Norby beach to see the long tailed ducks again and a quick trip to Melby were we met the owner of Melby House who is very friendly.  The sunset was stunning

Starlight

 Last night was really calm and a mild 12 degrees so Jill popped out to skywatch. It was a shame the Aurora didn't feel the same about the lovely night sky as it didn't really show. However, the milky way over the house was stunning and it was so peaceful. ( no burping sheep as they are in the bottom field).

There was a hedgehog by the front door

Today we had an appointment in Lerwick so we went and ordered the bathroom for upstairs and had a measure up of the new kitchen so now we have selected the two we need.

It was Bentley and Morgans 2nd birthday today. Its gone so fast.

A tiny start in the garden

 As we have lots of broken up peat and some well aged manure found in the barns, Jill was keen to set up a small raised bed ready for some veggies next year. With Patrick's help, it took shape today. This barn will get a new polycarbonate roof and become a greenhouse eventually.

With the new door by the side it looks much better already. We even re found flagstones by the door.

Michael has started plasterboarding room 2 upstairs.

At lunch time, our neigh bour, ( get it?) Merran came by for a gallop on the field next to the house although her horse didn't quite fancy it today.

Still waiting for EON to sort our meter but we do have the grant people coming to see us next week to see what help we can get.

Little bit of this

 And a little bit of that over the last couple of days.

Yesterday Patrick worked on the Chicken house and finished it today. Its a real solid creation and the chooks love it.

He also made a door for the small barn, which is just being finished, and worked on putting two internal doors back up.

Yesterday we had a quick pop back for the Rufous turtle dove. Much better views.

 Jill took a look at the collapsed wall round the field and moved some of the stone out of the way. This meant that we can start digging a fence post hole. It needs to be 3ft deep and there is a lot of stone in there. So far it is just over a foot deep. The wall in the old kitchen is still leaking water down the wall that is coming down the chimney and as it rained hard today, it got a bit soggy. Dehumidifier is on! Especially damp as some more pointing has been done in that room.

We have put a foil on the bathroom window as it was delivered without frosting. It looks  ice.

Today has been thoroughly miserable. So the cats had a chill day. It's a clear evening though so we hope for an aurora.